Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs heard a presentation by the Irish Farmers Association and An Bord Bia. The Irish farmers representative, Mr. Henry Burns, who is the chairman of the sheep producers in Ireland, told us yesterday that farm incomes fell by 13% in 2008 because of low prices for milk, beef and grain, and by a further 20% this year, which is frightening. The majority of people are not aware that farm incomes have fallen by that level this year. We must do something about it.

Agriculture and the export-dependent agrifood sector are among our most important industries. Some 270,000 people are employed in the agrifood industry, which accounts for 66% of our indigenous exports. As I said yesterday at the committee meeting, the multinationals and high-tech sectors are far sexier and more glamorous. However, if we do not sustain, maintain and develop our indigenous industries and our natural advantages, as well as our reputation as trustworthy producers and our worldwide renown for beautiful land that is suitable for agricultural products, we would be very foolish.

Last year, the food and drinks industry sold more than €8 billion worth of agrifood products to 170 markets around the world, which is a tremendous achievement, ably supported by An Bord Bia. To come to the crunch, the IFA and the Irish Exporters Association are calling for the introduction of an export-based, short-term, State-supported credit insurance scheme to supplement the capacity of the existing commercial market. Not only are indigenous food and drinks companies suffering from lack of credit, but the insurance companies are not covering their costs or protecting them. If goods are going to 170 markets, there will be dubious importers. I want the Government on a short-term basis of three to six months to introduce this export-based credit insurance scheme urgently. Our competitor Governments in the EU have done this. Why the hell cannot we do it?